WGN America’s new series Manhattan, premiering tonight at 9pm Eastern/8 Central, dramatizes the race to create the atomic bomb at the remote research outpost of Los Alamos, N.M. It also shows as the emotional fallout that the intensely secretive atmosphere wreaks on scientists and their families. Here are a few reasons we think you might like the show: 1. It’s a fast-paced drama that puts science front-and-center. The plot and dialogue of Manhattan rely heavily on scientific principles, but the show doesn’t feel like a lecture. “It was very important in this show that scientists talk like scientists,” director Thomas Schlamme told Variety. “It wasn’t that important that everyone understood everything the scientists were saying. That was the golden rule in ‘West Wing’ [where Schlamme was a producer]; we never had to stop to explain to the audience what these people were talking about because what they would feel is what was the relationship between those people.” 2. It will also teach you some science. We’ll be delving more into the science of Manhattan after the premiere, but suffice to say that one of the major plot points turns on high-concept physics. If youre looking for a way to get your friends excited about science, this could be it! 3. It has great female characters. Maybe your image of the Manhattan Project is one of a lot of solemn male scientists. But actually, women played a vital role in the engineering of the atomic bomb; they were, in fact, the “computers” that many scientists relied upon, crunching numbers on mechanical calculators (a process that could take many days for just one equation). Another prominent character is Liza Winter, wife to (fictional) scientist Frank Winter, and a whipsmart botanist in her own right. 4. It has a score by Jonsí of Sigur Ros. Good news, fans of Icelandic soulful rock! After his last gig playing at King Joffrey’s wedding on Game of Thrones (for which he was hopefully paid in advance), Sigur Ros singer Jonsi Birgisson is taking the musical reins on Manhattan. Check back at the World Science Festival website after the premiere, where we’ll break down some of the science seen in Episode 1!
Posted on: Sun, 27 Jul 2014 21:38:05 +0000
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